The Fallen Ace
by SinclairLeRous
Summary: What would you do if everything you'd worked for was taken away in a second? After being told she'd never play volleyball again, Takahashi Saika must learn to live in a world now foreign to her. But along the way, perhaps she'll come to realize there are more important things in life then spikes and serves, and maybe what she really needed was right in front of her all along.
1. 1 - Flightless Crows

_A/N: This story includes Daichi/Yui, OC/Sugawara, and OC/Oikawa (though this comes much later in the story). There are other ship drops here and there (ex. Asahi has a slight crush on the protagonist, but it isn't touched on enough to warrant a tag or little hints at other potential relationships). Just thought I'd put a little disclaimer if that bothered people (or made them more willing to read it haha). Anyways, this is my first time posting a work of mine so I hope you enjoy and please feel free to leave feedback in the comments!_

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"Chance ball!" Karasuno's #8 flew across the floor with a thirst clear on her face. Eyeing her prey, the second-year dropped into a low defensive stance before rocketing the ball upwards.

"Nice receive Michimiya-san!" Their #4 called out to her senior. Holding her own arms outwards she bounced the ball back around once more. "Finish it off Sasaki-senpai!" The aforementioned brunette rushed into position raising her arms to the sky.

A setter was the control tower for a team; bring the ball to them just right, and victory was never too far behind. The same logic applied to their black-haired third-year whose face relayed unsettling calmness. Successful setters were never shaken by what occurred on the battlefield. They always stood ready. Ready for the next attack, the next kill.

For Sasaki Kumi, it was as if the ball was falling in slow-motion. Colored stripes rotated around as the ball fell closer and closer to her outstretched arms. Her indomitable focus desensitized everything else around her: the sweat trickling down the right side of her face, the clamoring of their fervent fans, the intense aching spread across her body. All that mattered was the key descending towards her, the key to their victory. _Closer…closer…and…_

 _Strike!_ Her hands pushed underneath the ball like a cannon propelling its ammunition forward. The ammo regained its momentum and began hurtling towards its point of impact, _her_ point of impact. "Takahashi-chan, it's all yours!" Elated, the setter glanced with glistening eyes to the one who'd finish it all, the one who her sets were always for; but to her shock, she wasn't there.

Not exactly, anyway.

Takahashi Saika was there, just not quite the way you'd expect. Her thin, built figure stood exactly where it should be, though what was there resembled more of a lifeless husk. An empty body in the server's position, "in prime position for a back attack" as their coach had put it when explaining their strategy. But this spiritless girl wasn't in any sort of prime condition for a spike. In fact, she looked like she wasn't in a condition to be _standing._ Her breaths were heavy and low, each one looking like her last. Orbs of sweat glistened against her fair skin, matting jet-black hair to the edges of her face. Though still standing, her stance was poor, sloppy. Usually taut arms lay limp and lifeless by her side, equally shaky legs supporting her. This wasn't their Takahashi Saika, this wasn't their ace.

Like a gunshot, the ball fell to the ground, thudding softer with each bounce it took. Profound silence filled the gym, all eyes on the failed assault. The only thing to shatter the silence was the sharpness of the referee's whistle signaling the end of the play. Breaking out of the trance, a confused scorekeeper flipped over the board next to him.

 _Spring High-Miyagi Prefecture Representative Playoffs_

 _Shiratorizawa vs. Karasuno_

 _5th Set_

 _15-14_

"Shiratorizawa! Shiratorizawa!" Prim high school students all dressed in the same uniform chanted from their respective bleachers. While the point was because of a simple error, they weren't about to let up on their obnoxiously loud cheering. They seemed more like robots than humans to the Karasuno team. The way their cheers were always in sync, like cheering was a mere formality.

"D-Don't mind! We'll get the next one!" The captain, Kawaguchi Naomi, clapped her hands encouragingly, though the look on her face betrayed otherwise. Fear, confusion, and just the slightest bit of frustration. It wasn't like Saika to miss a spike. It definitely wasn't like _anyone_ to not even move! But she looked to be on the brink of collapsing, even the cross captain could tell that much. They had been pushing her even harder than before in this match. Now more than ever, they desperately needed their ace.

Saika Takahashi was somewhat of an anomaly to the volleyball world. Daughter of famous retired player Takahashi Masaru, Saika had been playing volleyball for as long as she could remember. It didn't come naturally, much to her dismay, but with time and effort, Saika soon became one of the strongest players in the region. After helping the Karasuno Crows regain their lost dignity by winning the Inter-High Preliminaries, teams had begun calling her "The Assassin of Karasuno High". The somewhat cheesy nickname came from Saika's oddball arsenal of talent where she could play any position on the team with incredible accuracy. Whether it be service aces, insane quick attacks, or lightning fast libero receives, Saika was anywhere and everywhere on the court at all times. That's where it came from, the Assassin: completing any job at any time for any set price.

Although, it seemed like the price would be too high this time around by the looks of it. Her bright blue eyes had been reduced to dull spheres, lazy and unfocused. Her teammates words swarmed around her in a blur, what were they saying?

"'Oy, Takahashi! What were you doing in that last play?! You didn't even try for Sasaki's set!" Idle eyes scanned the area around her for the source of the noise. Where was it coming from? Why was everything so loud? "Hey, are you listening?! Takahashi!" Noticing a fast-moving blur, Saika focused all of her energy onto it to reveal her coach screaming and pointing at her like a maniac. His words still didn't process in her mind, but she could gather as much. She hadn't moved, not even a smidge. Why didn't she move?

…Or had she? Something was obviously wrong. An indistinct screech echoed through the air and repetitions of "nice serve!" bellowed from somewhere beyond her reach. A play was starting, their _last_ play if they didn't get this point. _No, they can't start yet! Not until I figure out what the hell is going on!_

Nervously glancing about, her eyes desperately sought out something to keep her grounded, something to draw her out of this hellish world she'd entered. _The guys…where are the guys?_ Frantic, she scanned what she thought to be the crowd for any familiar faces, but it all came out as one huge blob. They weren't there, or rather, she couldn't see them anymore.

"I've got it!" Kumi bent down low and received the serve nice and clean, though in doing so it took their main setter out of play. "You've got this Tsukuda-chan!" Reassured from the support of her superior, bobbed brown hair nodded in approval. Watching the ball drop, Tsukuda Ena let her eyes wander around their side of the court. _Who should I set to?_

Any of their wing spikers were strong and a good option, but Shiratorizawa's defenses were nothing to scoff at. They were going to need something more than just "strong" to break through. Instinctively her eyes shot over to their assassin standing behind her, but apprehension gripped her like a serpent choking its prey. What if she missed again? They couldn't risk something like that in the match point of the finals. Their eyes met for a split second, focused brown against dazed blue. _I can't risk it Saika!_ Looking away she instead turned her attention to a prepared noirette on the left. _I need to toss to-_

"One more!" A screeching voice caused her to look back in surprise. "Toss it to me!" Their ace sprinted against the court floor, every step like a trudge through a muddy swamp. Her face screamed that of someone in unbearable pain, but there was a fire burning behind the haziness in her eyes. A fire that sent chills down Ena's spine. A fire that Ena simply couldn't resist.

"Go for it assassin!" Her toss flew high and free as if on a predestined path. Every step was like being stabbed everywhere at once for Saika, but she pushed through. All around her life represented more of a disparate pallet than the real world, but it didn't matter. All that mattered was the ball flying above her. All that mattered was one more point, one more hit, one more jump. Screams and roars reverberated around her as if bullets were being shot around a tiny room, but she kept going. _Keep pushing…keep going until you reach the top!_ Her arms swung backwards in preparation to jump. Blockers all rushed to stop the ace's attack, but it was too late. Throttling off of her legs she swung her left hand forward thinking, _one more set…and we beat Shiratorizawa!_

Black. Everything was black. Everyone was expecting a slam, the sounds of cheers erupting from Karasuno's crowd, but nothing happened. All that was left was a crumpled girl at the bottom of the net, and the ball rolling away. Silence seemed to choke all life out of the room as everyone stared at the fallen ace. The sounds of gears moving in people's heads could practically be heard as everyone tried to figure out what had just transpired.

"Did...we win?" A blocker from Shiratorizawa whispered, not daring to move from her spot. No one replied, no one dared to break the silence that had fallen around them. "Is she okay?" Nothing, until that life-giving whistle blew and everyone spurred back into reality. The scorekeeper flipped the board showing Shiratorizawa's victory; though it didn't really feel like one to the dumbstruck team; and the scream that followed didn't do much to help.

"Saika…Saika!" Yui rushed across the court to her fallen friend's side. Blood had rushed out of her face so fast the girl's skin represented more of a snowy landscape than that of a human. Shallow breaths no longer racked the girl's upper body. Actually, her chest wasn't moving at _all._

She wasn't breathing.

"Coach…coach help!" Prompted by the second-year's screech their coach propelled himself forward to the young girl's side. "Coach is she…is she…?"

"I don't know, Michimiya. We need to get the medics in here, stat." Gesturing for their captain to get help, he first took her pulse as he'd seen so many times on TV in this sort of situation.

But there wasn't anything to take.

There was no pulse.

"Shit!" His curse sent the girls into an uncontrollable panic, not quite knowing why their coach was so upset. "Girls, calm down! We need an AED here, quick! Sasaki, get that one off the wall!" The eerily calm vice-captain nodded and raced off to retrieve the life-saving device. "Himura, tell Shiratorizawa's coach that she's suffering from HOCM," a confused look from the libero, "Just go! He'll understand unless he's a complete idiot." Sputtering a quick response, the third-year raced off to the opposite side fumbling over herself.

"Coach, what's HOCM?" Ena dared to ask in nothing above a whisper.

"Plainly put, it means she's dying. Fast. We need to get her to the hospital as soon as possible." Like magic Naomi returned with several medics behind her at his words. "Thank God, took them long enough." Herding the shocked players, he stood up and got them all to move far away. It didn't take them very long to diagnosis what had happened just like the coach.

HOCM was the number one culprit of sudden death in young athletes, a silent killer. Hands flew as they ripped the device from the setter's hands. When someone fell to HOCM, every second was precious. They didn't have time for simple pleasantries. Tearing off her shirt they untangled her body like a jumble of knotted string. "And…clear!"

Everyone on the team screamed as their teammate flopped on the floor from the electric shock. It was as if their match had turned into some sort of soap opera with everyone in the gym looking down at them, all with a similar fear in their hearts. After checking her pulse, they shocked her once more, and a third. Each time it felt like a slap to the face.

It was like watching them operate on someone who was already dead.

"Shouldn't we do something?" Up in the stands stood three boys all in matching uniform and jacket. They were all watching them strike Saika over and over again. Every shock sent a sharp pain to their gut.

"I don't think there's anything we _can_ do…" A boy with dark brown hair clenched his fists until they were white. "We're powerless…"

"I'm going to go down there." Both guys tore their eyes away from the scene to stare at their silver-haired companion. Straightaway, alarm ensued.

"Y-You can't! Coach is gonna kill us if we're late for our match!" The boy with longer brown hair immediately regretted his choice of words as his friend sent daggers at him on the word "kill".

"I don't care. She needs us."

"Koushi, I know how much you care about her but we'll just get in the way. It'd be best if we just go and-"

"And what, Asahi?!" He froze at the boy's strained scream. "Just wait for her to die? Wait for her funeral? Wait for her to wake up miraculously and for everything to be okay?" Guilt pricked Sugawara's skin. He knew he shouldn't be yelling at him; he knew he was worried too, but he couldn't stop. It felt so much better to lash out at someone, to be able to feel like there was something tangible to blame. Like there wasn't some hidden force toying with them from the shadows. "She might not ever open her eyes again. And I'll be damned if I'm not by her side every step of the way, tournament or no. Tell Coach Ukai that I'm not coming."

Without another word their friend stalked off to the exit.

"Sugawara, wait!" Asahi chased after him with worry laced into his voice. He had never seen his face like that. It looked as if _he_ was the one dying, not her. However, the brunette stayed exactly where he was: frozen in time. He couldn't clench his fists any further but if he could, his fingers would shoot out through his palms. _Saika…_

At this point they had transported the unconscious player to a stretcher and were already departing the scene. "We'll bring her to her father's hospital and update you on her condition as soon as we are able." The man who had been instructing the use of the AED handed their coach a slip of paper with an address hastily scribbled on it. "Since we got here relatively quick, we think she'll be okay, but we won't know for sure until later."

"Of course, thank you for your help." Bowing, the medic ran out of the gym at full speed, concern clearly etched onto his face. With a sigh the coach stuck the piece of paper into his jacket. _Damn Takahashi…what have you gotten yourself into?_

"Um…coach?" Timid whispers broke him out of his stupor. The Karasuno Crows stood huddled around him like hatchlings waiting for food from their mother. It was like his team of evolved birds of prey had been reduced back to their original form.

"Is Takahashi-san going to be okay?"

 _I don't know._ "We think so. Usually with this sort of thing the earlier you spot it the better so she'll be fine once they get to the hospital.

"Is she going to be back soon?"

 _Probably not._ "I'm not sure, it usually depends on the person."

"Will she be able to play again?"

"Like I said, every case is special so we'll just have to see," his hand clenched the address inside his jacket pocket, "Now go line up, it'd be rude not to greet our new champions." His sarcastic comment was followed by groans. They'd lost, and it'd only just sunk in. Watching them run off the coach felt insane guilt building in his stomach, but what other choice did he have? Not only that, but he could feel something boring into his body from behind.

Stopping, he looked around the gym to lock eyes with a certain brown-haired boy whose glare could only be described as heart-stopping. He knew. And the coach knew too. The thought rumbled in his mind over and over again until he could feel pain creeping into his skull. Neither of them wanted to think about it, but both of them had been cursed with the knowledge of what HOCM really was.

 _No. She'll never play again._


	2. 2 - Cross My Heart and Hope to Die

_"What do you mean she'll never play again?" The black-haired nurse nearly dropped the platter she had been carrying. Plates and cups teetered dangerously on the edge of collapse. She stood, silent, staring at the back of a white lab coat in front of her. With one sentence, the atmosphere of the room had shifted entirely. She felt starved for oxygen, suffocating against the weight those words held._

 _"It's just as it sounds. If she keeps pushing herself, there's no guarantee she'll make it out alive next time." The man's left hand reached over and stroked the girl's hair. "And look at her now. How can this be considered living?" Masumi Yuuka could only watch as the doctor caressed his sleeping daughter. He was, after all, her boss. How was she supposed to console someone who ranked so far above her? She settled on busying herself with the rest of her clean-up, hoping the movement would somehow lessen the impact of her words. Add some sort of casual cushioning to counteract the strained ambience._

 _"Don't you think that a life without volleyball isn't worth living?" It came out as shakily as she'd expected. She wasn't used to being so bold, especially not in front of her superior. But she continued on. "At least for Saika, anyways. If you tell her she can't play anymore, don't you think that dying would be preferable to the former?" His arm stopped mid-stroke; his entire body seemed to tense up at her words. Not because he was angry, but because he knew she was right._

 _Telling his daughter not to play volleyball was like telling her not to breath. Volleyball flowed through her like blood through the veins. And much like he was in his youth, Saika never backed down from anything. She'd even swallowed her hatred for schoolwork just to place in the advanced class at school so her father wouldn't take her off the team. He'd half-expected her to just give up and accept the fact that she couldn't take volleyball and school seriously at the same time, but of course, his daughter pushed through. He was convinced the word 'quit' wasn't even in her vocabulary._

 _"I'm sorry, that was out of line." Masaru snapped out of his thoughts to see Yuuka fidgeting with the dirty sheets in her arms._

 _"No, no. It's alright." A sigh escaped his lips. "You're right. Telling Saika she can't play volleyball anymore is like sending her to the block. She won't accept it." Yuuka merely nodded in reply, returning her attention back to cleaning the area. "But letting her continue is the same thing. Even with a defibrillator she'll be highly susceptible to another attack, and I'd prefer not to go through the procedure anyhow." The older man ruffled his sweeping brown hair in exasperation. "This is impossible."_

 _Yuuka continued to work, but she could feel a cold sweat forming on the back of her neck. She had never seen him like this before, and watching the usually composed man break down at the seams sent an uneasy feeling down her spine. In their line of work, unthinkable tragedies happened everyday. The amount of times Masaru had had to tell a family that their father or mother wasn't going to make it was too great to count. So why? Why couldn't they tell this seventeen-year-old girl she couldn't play a sport anymore?_

 _The nurse chocked it up to emotional attachment. If you don't know someone, inflicting pain on them is much easier than say, hurting your sibling. And though Masaru may be considered one of the finest doctors of his generation, that doesn't stop him from being human. That doesn't stop him from sympathizing with his oldest daughter._

 _It doesn't stop him from seeing himself whenever he looks at her on that hospital bed._

 _"You were a volleyball player once, right sensei?" Masaru looked up and watched as Yuuka began to fold the sheets onto a nearby chair. Chuckling, he leaned back and replied,_

 _"It seems even now I can't escape my dazzling past. Yes, I was somewhat of an all-star during my high-school and college career. Funny that people still remember me even though I didn't go on to play nationally."_

 _"Did you quit for health reasons?"_

 _He shook his head. "No, it was more of a personal situation for me." A small silence fell between them. Yuuka shifted her eyes in his direction, wondering if he would continue. But his previous energy looked to have completely diminished as he gazed at his daughter once more. "Masumi, can you do me a favor?"_

 _"O-Of course." She placed the last of the laundry onto the chair and turned to give him her undivided attention._

 _Now, Yuuka was a good nurse. Especially considering she was only twenty-seven. She was always willing to help out, always willing to go that extra mile. Whether it be staying late after her shift ended or simply assisting a patient back to their room, her dedication to her job was undeniable._

 _But now, standing in front of her senior, Yuuka began to realize that this particular task might just be out of her control. Millions of questions raced through her mind, though all of them were left un-said. Her voice was stuck. Stuck as she watched the man she'd placed on a pedestal breaking before her, placid expression not hiding the pain rumbling in his eyes._

 _Can you tell her for me?_

"Masumi-san!" A loud voice snapped the black-haired nurse out of her thoughts. Focusing back in on reality, she found the source of the shout staring intently at her. "Hello? I finished the reps you asked me to do." Yuuka blinked once, then twice. What was she talking about?

"Ah, I'm sorry Takahashi-chan, what were we doing again?" Rolling her eyes, the girl placed down the mini dumbbells she had been carrying. Wait, where did she get those?

"You told me to do a set of lunges down the walkway and back. But when I finished you were completely spaced out." The puzzled nurse blinked several more times before the situation dawned on her. She'd let herself slip into a subconscious state without even realizing. Attempting to cover up the awkward moment she replied,

"S-Sorry about that. I was just uh..." She trailed off. Crap. Saika always teased her for how bad at lying she was. "T-Thinking about how much you've improved! Yeah!" Following the train of thought, she flashed the teenager a smile. "Those lunges looked a lot better then last week."

Seemingly satisfied with the nurse's response, the girl puffed out her chest a bit. "Well that's good. It'd be disappointing to hear if I hadn't improved at all. Besides, this is the only way I can train for my big return!" Her chest shook with laughter. Saika never thought of herself as a big shot, or at least, she tried not to. Most of her talk about going back and 'saving her team' was just mere theatrics. Though this didn't stop her from realizing her own abilities. All of her 'talent' was hard-fought, save the minimal gifts she'd received from her father. Even so, having a big head just hinders you from improving. That was her belief, anyways.

"You should try not to push yourself so hard though. It'd be a shame to lose the progress you've made," The nurse gently berated the sweating teen. After being rushed to the hospital following the Spring Tournament, Saika had been diagnosed with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, HOCM for short. The month spent in the hospital passed by more like a year for those close to her, and her week-long coma an eternity. At the time, the hospital was merely a morgue. The bed, her coffin.

Following her triumphant awakening, Saika began a steady return back into normal life. This, of course, included a grueling amount of physical therapy. Being completely immobile for a whole week really did a number on your body; not to mention the minor brain damage she'd sustained from the attack.

Despite all this, Saika was rarely ever seen without a smile. Many of the physical therapists commented on her drive during sessions. Although, standing there now, with the information she'd been given last night, Yuuka wasn't sure how helpful that drive would be in the future.

"I've got to! God knows I can only get so much done in a place like this." Her eyes darted across the familiar landscape with a hint of disgust. "I mean no offense, this rehabilitation thing is great and all, but I'm ready to be back on the court." Yuuka couldn't help the shiver that shot down her spine. She knew she should've told her earlier, then she wouldn't have pushed so hard in their session that day. But she couldn't. Looking into those electric blue eyes, how could she?

How could she tell this girl she would never play volleyball again?

Forcing out a light chuckle, Yuuka laid her hands perfectly onto the girl's shoulders; like two pieces of a puzzle. She began to carefully lead the girl back to their station, guiding them along a path they were both all too familiar with. "Still, you should be careful. The last thing I need is for your dad to fire me for poor performance." Another boisterous laugh filled the air.

"Lighten up, Masumi-san! Keep worrying like that and you'll start to grow grey hair on that head of yours." The nurse snorted. "Anyway, my dad would _never_ fire you. You're too good! That's why he placed you in charge of me. I was expecting some old person with a stick so far up their ass they couldn't walk. Although I suppose you're not too far behind." This time Yuuka's laugh was louder, authentic. Saika always wished she'd laugh like that more, it brought out a light in her eyes you wouldn't see normally.

"You're lucky I'm your nurse! Not many people here would take so kindly to such crude comments. I'm sure your father picked me because no one else here would be able to handle you."

This time it was Saika's turn to snort in response. "Oh really? And I can think of a certain someone who'd _love_ to handle you." Yuuka let out another genuine laugh. Having made their way to their 'parking spot', she slowly began to help Saika back into her wheelchair.

"You are awful! As if I'd ever date that obnoxious, arrogant womanizer. He'll be lucky if I so much as glance in his direction."

"Which you seem to do very often."

"Haha. Keep this up and I'll make you walk back to the room."

"Please, do! I hate this stupid wheelchair anyways." A smirk flit on the nurse's lips as she continued to lower the girl down. Having to be pushed around the hospital was probably the worst part about being there for Saika. It was a cage, an extremely, embarrassing cage. Finally settling in, the two began to make their way out of the physical therapy wing, quips being thrown left and right.

"All I'm saying is if you just manned up and asked him out Ikari-san _totally_ go on a date with you!"

"Uhhuh. And who said I was even interested in a relationship?"

"Oh, I don't know. The incessant blushing, the constant complaints about him, I'd say those are all pretty clear signs of a crush." Yuuka could only roll her eyes at her junior, even if she couldn't see it.

"Really? Since when did you become a relationship expert, Saika-chan?" Her first name danced on the tip of her tongue. It was amazing to Yuuka how the two of them had become so close despite their ten-year age gap. There was something about Saika's bright personality that ever so slowly drew Yuuka out of her shell, much to the nurse's annoyance.

Yuuka wasn't what you would call a 'people person'. She prefered to keep to herself, only really talking when spoken to or when necessary for an errand or task. It wasn't because she disliked her co-workers per se, she was just shy by nature. But somehow, Saika's exuberance rubbed off on the timid nurse. They were the epitome of 'opposites attract'.

"I'm not saying I am! I'm just telling you that if you can work up the confidence, which you totally should, he'd most definitely say yes." Yuuka chuckled at the girl's reasoning.

"Whatever you say, Saika." The girl hummed her response, leaning back in the chair. The two settled into a comfortable silence, only speaking up when another nurse or patient greeted them. Sitting in that silence, Saika began to notice just how cramped her mode of transportation really was. Her back stung with discomfort and with it brought up all of the negative emotions that had been stewing within her for the past week. If she didn't get out of that hospital soon, she was sure she'd go crazy. All she needed was one more person insisting that 'rest was the best medicine' to send her spiking one of the balls from the physical therapy wing right to their face.

Still, watching the trees stream by through the windows, Saika couldn't deny the peaceful quiet that seemed to envelop the building. Funny how a place that harbored so much death and despair could also be a sort of sanctuary.

Attempting to break the silence, Saika piped up, "Say, Masumi-san, has my dad updated you on my condition at all?" Yuuka's hands tightened on the handles to an almost painful degree.

"A-Actually, we were talking last night about it. When you were asleep." Two blue eyes thrust up to meet her own as Saika bent her head backward.

"And what'd he say?" Yuuka attempted to swallow the lump in her throat, but to no avail. She had been dreading this. She'd even gone as far as to postpone it until after their session in hopes of getting more confident. In reality, she just made herself more nervous _and_ caused Saika to push herself needlessly hard. She did, after all, still think she was returning to the field.

Damn her boss. Why couldn't he just do it himself? This was his daughter, wasn't it? Why should Yuuka be doing this? Those thoughts had been berating Yuuka all morning, though her resentment towards her boss was often short-lived because she knew exactly why. He couldn't bear to see his daughter crack because of something he said.

But man, why did it have to be her?

"Saika-chan, there's something I need to tell you." Yuuka stopped in front of their room not daring to look down at the girl's shining eyes. Like hell she'd watch that light go out.

"Sure, go ahead." The nerves in her stomach continued to twist into impossibly tight knots. _You can do it. Just tell her._ Taking a deep breath, Yuuka looked down at the girl and began to explain, before a shout echoed through the hallway.

 _"Saika!"_ Taken by surprise, the two immediately looked up. They gazed down the hallway trying to find the origin of the noise, when they saw three similarly dressed boys jogging towards them. After recognizing their uniforms, Saika visibly perked up and shouted back,

"Suga! Daichi, Asahi! Over here!" It didn't take long for Yuuka to realize who exactly was running towards them. It was Saika's three friends from school, and regular visitors, Sugawara Koushi, Sawamura Daichi, and Azumane Asahi. They'd been with her since day one, along with members of the girl's volleyball team. Apparently they also played volleyball and had met Saika during a practice match against the girl's team.

They'd lost, or so Saika claimed.

"Sai, we've brought your schoolwork for the day!" The silver-haired boy flashed a smile and handed the girl a bundle of paper. "Though I don't think you'll be very happy. Today's lessons were really hard." Groaning, Saika slapped the packet down on her lap.

"Why bring it then? Now I don't have an excuse not to do it!" Suga laughed in reply, sheepishly rubbing the back of his head.

"I-If you need help, I-uh- _we_ would be more than willing to explain it!" The boy with long brown-hair stuttered. "T-Though I doubt you need our help! Y-You're really smart, after all..." A light blush tinted his cheeks, and Yuuka couldn't help but smirk at his awkward behavior. _Uh oh, I hope that's not how I look when I talk to Haru-san._ She mentally shuddered at the thought.

"Thanks, Asahi! I think I'll be alright. Push comes to shove I _guess_ I can ask Yuuka-san for help." The girl shot her a look to which the nurse replied by sticking her tongue out. "I appreciate the offer, though."

"N-No problem!" His flush only deepened, and he began to fidget with the edges of his jacket. _Poor guy, he looks like he's about to die from embarrassment!_ The darker-haired brunette seemed to catch onto the boy's flustered attitude as he slapped him on the back. Much harder than he'd intended.

"I'd hold off on asking Asahi for advice. He's in some pretty hot water with his parents right now for bad grades." The long-haired boy turned on the brunette, his cheeks only redder from the comment.

"Daichi! You don't need to tell her that!" He only laughed in response, finding great pleasure from his friend's discomfort.

"Don't worry about it, Asahi. Daichi's actually forbidden to stay out past 10:00 because his parents think he'll get into a fight with that scary face of his." Suga grinned mischievously as the previously confident boy was now complaining to him.

"Oi! We don't need to talk about that! It's not my fault my parents are so strict!" Saika joined in cackling with the grey-haired perpetrator as the two brunettes began sputtering out incoherent defenses to their honor. Yuuka almost found herself joining in, drawn in by their infectious energy. She wondered if she were to open up more she'd act like that with her co-workers?

"Well, in any case, at least your dad isn't as annoying as mine." The noirette huffed, crossing her arms in a pout. "If it wasn't for him, I wouldn't have to spend so much time studying. I could be practicing; but no, I have to stay in the advanced class or he'll pull me off the team." _You should focus on your studies. You need something to fall back on._

 _Since you won't have anything to practice anymore._

Yuuka froze at the silent statements. That same feeling of ice began to creep up on her skin leaving goosebumps in it's wake. She needed to do it. She needed to do it now.

"U-Um, Saika-chan, about what we were talking about-"

"Oh right! I'm sorry Yuuka-san, I completely forgot." Saika turned to the boys. "Could you guys give us a minute?" Nodding, Sugawara took out his phone.

"Actually, we have a practice match soon so we should probably get going." He tensed up a bit at the numbers flashing back at him from his screen. "We're uh...running a bit late." Yelping in shock, Daichi quickly bowed to the two females.

"C-Crap! Sorry, we've gotta run Sai, we'll talk to you later! Thank you for everything Masumi-san!" And with that he dashed out of the hospital as quick as he'd come.

"You're ah...welcome? She stuttered to the cloud of dust he left behind. Sugawara merely sighed at his friend's behavior, but he knew it was for good reason. Ever since the Spring Tournament they'd all been on thin ice with their coach. Skipping the first set of the preliminaries for Nationals wasn't exactly music to Coach Ukai's ears. Especially since they lost said first set without their trusty setter. He had more than a few select words for the silver-haired second-year, many of which were slightly inappropriate.

Well, maybe just a bit more than slightly.

Suga grabbed Asahi by the collar who had been dumbstruck since hearing they were late. The last thing he wanted was another twenty-five laps around the gym. Followed by a speech on how incompetent he was as their up-and-coming ace.

Not even fighting against the boy's grip, he allowed himself to be dragged away on the trail Daichi had blazed for them. Saika and Yuuka waved after the two as they watched him drag Asahi along like a kid with a wagon.

"Those guys..." Saika muttered under her breath.

"Certainly a lively bunch, aren't they?" Her question came out more like a statement to which Saika could only sigh.

"That's one way of putting it." Chuckling, Yuuka began to wheel her back into the room. Just like that conversation last night she busied herself with small tasks such as rearranging the chairs meant for visitors and helping Saika back into her bed. All the while she avoided the young girl's gaze; those striking blue spheres drilling into her form. "So what did you want to tell me?"

Her actions grew faster. Patting out the white hospital sheets, adjusting Saika's pillows, anything to distract her from what was coming next. Eventually, there was nothing left to do. Nothing except the giant elephant in the room. The secret she couldn't keep.

All that was left was the bubbly teenager sitting in front of her.

"Saika I-"

The rest was a blur.

It was as if time itself had stopped and in that moment, the entire universe shattered into millions of pieces. She couldn't remember what she had said, but the words were hot. They burned into the gelid atmosphere like a hot iron-brand on a prisoner . They didn't belong, each syllable melting away the world around them. _What did she say?_

The only remnants of their conversation lived in Yuuka's mind: voiced and unvoiced thoughts lingering like ghosts in a room. _I'm so sorry. It'll be okay. Your family will be here soon._

The only clear part she remembered were the tears. Dark dots dropping one by one, marring the sheets like ink on a masterpiece.

She'd never forget the way those stains seemed to taunt her.

After all, stains could be cleaned, but never erased.

* * *

 _A/N: Thanks so much for the support shown for this story thus far! It really means a lot (since it's my first time posting and all) that people are actually interested in reading this. I hope you continue to enjoy and please feel free to leave any reviews! Feedback is, of course, appreciated. I'm always looking to improve. ;)_

 _Also, Ikari Haru is the doctor Yuuka has a crush on. It might be kinda unclear since Saika calls him by his last name and Yuuka calls him by his first name so I thought I'd clarify._

 _One more thing! Updates about "The Fallen Ace", upcoming projects, and just stuff going on in my life that might be hindering updates will now be in my profile! Check back there every now and again for updates on the progress of stories and such._


	3. 3 - A Tree in a Forest

3 - If a Tree Falls in a Forest, Does it Make a Sound?

The moon was already well through its ascent when the three second-years departed from the gym. Farewells laced into the still night air, their voices the only sign of any human life on campus. The metal doors closed with a thud, echoing around them.

"It's too late to be here." Asahi voiced a thought clear in all of their minds. "I mean, 8:30? Doesn't Coach realize we have lives outside of volleyball?"

Despite agreeing with the brunette, Daichi replied, "Well, he knows how much we need to improve. Our team's just not what it used to be." The sigh that escaped his lips was barely visible in the cool November air. "Especially with the first-years skipping practice so often. It's a miracle we had enough people to play today." Asahi could only nod at his friend's deduction. This conversation had become all too frequent in the previous weeks. Musings about their team's lost strength and silent questions of how much they were willing to give up for what seemed like a lost cause. It was a leech; slowly yet surely draining their will away. It was becoming harder and harder to justify coming, but even tougher to justify skipping.

"In any case, hopefully we'll receive more first-years next year. We'll be losing a lot of good players." Suga fell into line as they began to make their way home. Asahi on his left, Daichi on the right. "But with us in charge, I'm sure we'll make it to Nationals next year." The two boys chuckled on either side of him, spirits slightly lifted at the prospect of their final year in high school. The idea of graduating wasn't appealing to any of them; they'd never even mentioned it in fear of losing one another. But thinking that maybe, by some miracle, their team would improve? That was an ideal they clung onto desperately.

"Remember those two middle schoolers from the tournament in June?" Asahi glanced up in confusion at Daichi's question. "Oh, sorry Asahi. I think you were grounded that day. Again." The snarky comment did not go by unnoticed as the long-haired boy simply huffed and looked away, acting uninterested in whatever followed.

"You mean the orange-haired kid and the 'King of the Court?'" Suga stated, the memory of the day slowly returning.

"Yeah, that guy was short but he could jump! And Kitagawa Daiichi's setter is famous; it'd be a miracle if Karasuno could snatch him away from the powerhouse schools around here."

"Most people from that middle school end up going to Aoba Johsai, right?" Asahi added, seeming to let the previous remark go for the moment.

Daichi nodded, "I heard that Kitagawa Daiichi ended up losing in the next round of that tournament though. Rumor has it that the setter was what cost them the match, despite his reputation." He closed his eyes, deep in thought. "I wonder what happened?"

"Are my sets not good enough for you, Daichi?" The brunette opened his eyes to see Suga crossing his arms in a pout. "Good to know it's not even our third year and you already want to throw me out for some all-star first-year."

"T-That's not what I meant! I just meant we can use all the players we can get."

"Well I don't hear you talking about that spiker much. Guess I'll just have to retire early..."

He blew out a wistful sigh, turning his gaze up towards the stars. Daichi continued to sputter out fragments of excuses, but Suga continued to ignore him. "It's fine, just leave me be. Talk with your amazing teammate about how strong you'll be next year... _without_ me." A collective groan came from the two other boys as Suga pulled out his phone and began mindlessly tapping into it. But both of them could see the smallest of smirks on the boy's features, reassuring them that nothing was actually wrong.

Knowing he'd continue to act hurt, the brunettes fell into conversation about their overbearing parents and what could be done about them. They traded stories back and forth about the crazy things they'd had to endure over the course of their whole lives. Especially since joining high school, they'd soon found out their previous hopes of their parents letting loose now that they were older was wistful thinking. Now, their leashes had turned into chains barring them into their houses for unspeakable amounts of time.

Through all of this, Suga had begun scrolling through his previous text messages with various individuals. There was a group text between him, Nishinoya, and Tanaka, asking Sugawara for all the information on Kiyoko, their manager, he could find. Another one, which was mostly one-sided, between him and Ennoshita asking about his absence at practice. His most recent, however, was his personal messaging between him and Saika. A smile danced on his lips just looking at the conversation from that morning. Possessed by that sense of euphoria, his thumb absentmindedly tapped it open.

Today 10:30 am

 **Sai-chan** 💮

 _good morning suga! how's school going?_

 **Sugamama**

 _you do this to torment me don't you_

 **Sai-chan** 💮

 _i have no clue what you're talking about ^-^_

 **Sugamama**

 _i know you just woke up and you're just rubbing it in my face that you get to sleep in_

 **Sai-chan** 💮

 _why, perish the thought sugawara-san! why would i ever do something so cruel?_

 _oh, right, because i love watching you suffer :D_

 **Sugamama**

 _you're so mean saika ;-;_

 _at least i get to play volleyball today and you don't ;)_

 **Sai-chan** 💮

 _wow. low blow suga._

 **Sugamama**

 _that's what you get for being mean! punishment :P_

 **Sai-chan** 💮

 _no mom plz don't ground me_

 **Sugamama**

 _stfu_

 _my name better not still be "sugamama" or something else in your phone_

 **Sai-chan** 💮

 _hehe, of course it's not :3_

 **Sugamama**

 _it is, isn't it_

 **Sai-chan** 💮

 _hehehehehe_

 **Sugamama**

 _..._

 _grounded -_-_

 **Sai-chan** 💮

 _nooo moooom_

 **Sugamama**

 _shoot, gotta go, class is starting. ttyl!_

He found himself chuckling quietly despite having read it several times over. A goofy smile plagued his features as he scrolled through it again, delighting in their playful banter. Hushed whispers of thoughts he'd often try and push down swirled around him, but he did his best to ignore them. They were just friends, and if someone would categorize them as something more it would just be a nice 'good' slapped onto the front of it. Maybe even a 'best' if they're feeling generous. But nothing in their title gave off an air of something else. Something...sentimental.

Because standing there, the slightest of blushes painting his cheeks, giggling over texts like a school-girl, Sugawara knew he liked Saika. He _had_ known for quite some time, though acting on it seemed as blasphemous as walking around naked. No, Sugawara accounted it to natural boyish urges. Why _wouldn't_ he find his female friend attractive? It was just in his nature as a guy. Nothing more.

Suddenly, his messaging screen changed to a black one with a red and green button with white letters donning the top. _Masumi Yuuka_. Glancing over at his two friends, he now found them in an argument about who's parents were stricter, which Sugawara knew would go on for the rest of the walk. Taking advantage of the moment, he quickly tapped the 'accept' button and held the phone to his right ear.

"Hello?" Panting could be heard on the other line.

"S-Sugawara-san? This is Masumi Yuuka, Saika's nurse." Suga couldn't help but chuckle at her formal attitude.

"I know who you are, Masumi-san. We exchanged phone numbers a while ago. And you don't have to address me so formally, you _are_ older than me." He expected the conversation to lighten a bit, but only find her voice just as tense as before.

"R-Right. Are you at home right now?"

"No, Daichi, Asahi, and I were all on our way home from practice." He paused. "Why do you ask?" It wasn't really like Masumi to just call up out of the blue. The only other time she'd called Suga was to tell him that Saika had woken up. Her number was a bad omen. Kind-hearted things never usually come from her calls, or even texts for that matter. It was a sign for something more than just pleasantries and winky-faces.

"I...I see. Well, if it wouldn't be any trouble, I-we could use some help." She stopped, taking in several more breaths. "We can't find Saika." Sugawara stopped walking, her words tethering him to the ground.

"W-What? How-"

"S-She...after you guys, left I told her the truth about her condition. Her father had only just told me yesterday but-"

"What happened, Masumi-san?" Panic gripped every fiber of his being. His voice came out much louder than he had anticipated as both Daichi and Asahi stopped, glancing back at their silver-haired friend.

"She...she can't play volleyball again. Ever. I-It's too hard on her heart and if she were to have another incident...we're not sure what would happen. She could die." She stopped again as if letting Sugawara soak in all the information thrown at him. "A-Anyways, I told her this after you guys left and...it was awful. She was broken. She just...sat there, staring at the wall. She refused to eat, drink, and wouldn't respond to anyone. Not even her father. A-And this evening, her family came to visit to comfort her, but when we made it back to the room, she was gone! All she left behind was her phone, so we can't contact her." Another pause. "P-Please. I don't know who else to ask, and we can't find her anywhere. If there's anyone that could help, it's you guys." Frantic voices other than Yuuka's began to seep into Suga's left ear. It was a cacophony of distress that gradually began to crescendo before her own voice returned.

"I-I'm sorry Sugawara. I have to go."

"But Masumi-san-!"

 _Click._

The line went silent. Suga's arm slumped down to his side, barely holding on to the device in his hand. At this point, Daichi and Asahi had walked back to him, worry clear on their faces.

"Hey, is everything alright?" Daichi tentatively placed a hand on the boy's shoulder. "You look like you've seen a ghost." Suga continued to stare forward, unblinking in the dark. "H-Hey, you're scaring me. What's up?"

"...It's Saika." Daichi's hand instinctively tesned up on his shoulder. Both his and Asahi's faces hardened into a mix of concern and seriousness. As quickly as he could, Suga explained the whole situation to them, watching as they relapsed into each emotion he had felt. Shock, anger, agitation, and a whole lot of pain. None of them said it, but they could all feel a fraction of what Saika must be suffering. Being taken off the court...it's a player's worst nightmare. Even being switched out briefly in a game can be crushing. All anyone wants to do is keep playing one play longer, one set more. But to have that stripped away forever? It was unthinkable.

"I can't believe it...Saika always seemed so sure she'd be returning for the end of the season." Daichi muttered, one hand now stroking his chin in a contemplative manner.

"That's the thing, I think she _was_ sure. This is the first she's heard of it. Which begs the question...how long have they known about this?" Suga felt his hands begin to tighten. "How long have they been hiding this from her?"

Noticing some negativity brewing, Asahi quickly added to the conversation, "W-Well, we can't assume anything. For now, we should head to the hospital. Help them find her. We can worry about the rest later, once we know she's safe." His comment worked and the anger that had sparked vanished almost instantly. The two boys nodded in agreement, looking around for the fastest way there. "From where we are now, it's about a fifteen minute walk since Saika's house is down that way, and they live pretty close by.

"Make that ten. We can run it." Suga stated plainly, adjusting the straps of his bag on his shoulder. "Masumi sounded urgent, we'd best get there as fast as possible." Asahi and Daichi glanced at one another, a bit taken aback at the boy's sudden shift in mood. He always got like this when it came to Saika, like a knight protecting his princess.

Of course she'd make them regret saying that if she ever heard them.

"Alright, let's go." At Suga's cue, the three began to race down the trail they'd mentally plotted. Their legs burned from being exerted once more, but they all willed themselves to ignore it. Light breaths turned into heavy panting as the last of their energy began to diminish, and the effects of sprinting right after their big match soon became apparent. Sweat dripped down now-red faces, and their long-sleeved uniforms didn't feel so welcoming against the cold weather now as their body temperatures began to rise. But they continued on, pushing against the pain until their white-stoned prize was in sight. _Torono Town Hospital._

"Sugawara, Azumane, Sawamura! It's good to see you three. We're sorry for having Masumi call you up so late." The three boys slowly came to a stop to a group of four individuals all huddled together, the greeting coming from a woman with long black hair. If you didn't know her, you probably would have mistaken her for Saika since they were the spitting image of one another. It was uncanny, really. Especially considering the enormous difference in their personalities.

"A-Ami-san, it's good to see you too. We didn't know you'd all be here." Suga greeted, glancing over at the other family members. "Ren, Chika, long time no see." The younger boy squeaked out a greeting before retreating behind his mother's legs, his hazel eyes barely visible through the locks of dark brown hair. His sister rolled her green eyes, but huffed out something akin to a 'hello'.

"Masaru-sensei, what's the situation?" Daichi asked her father, still in his long white coat. The bags under his eyes were undeniable. The sag in his shoulders visible as well. He didn't look like he had slept in a good long while.

"Not...great. We still haven't managed to find Sai."

"Do you have any idea where she might be?" Suga spoke this time, turning his full attention towards the man. Determination steeled his usually soft brown eyes. Daichi and Asahi stepped back a pace, letting the two convene over the matter. Instead, they took to reassuring the other members of the family.

"We've looked nearly everywhere. The cafeteria, the lobby; we even thought she might be in the physical therapy wing, but nothing."

"One of the workers did say they'd seen her not too long ago." Yuuka piped up this time, dropping into the conversation.

"When was that?" The nurse checked her watch; the indents of red lines clear on her wrist.

"They said they'd seen her fifteen minutes prior, and it's been half an hour since then." She bit her lip. "What could she possible be doing?" The world fell into a contemplative silence. Everything around them felt like it was rooting for their success. The winds died down, the grasshopper ceased their chirpings, even the streets were silent from the noise.

"Did she take anything from the physical therapy office?" Suga mused. Masaru immediately turned to Yuuka who was already thinking about the question.

"They did mention something about her looking for a ball. She was muttering so they couldn't help her so she went in alone. Later, they think they saw her holding something but they said they couldn't be sure." Her hands began to pull at the edges of her dress. "You don't think she's-"

"A court. Do you have something like a court here?" Suga's voice rose several notches in volume. The family looked at each other nervously, unused to the normally mellow boy's alarm. Daichi and Asahi shared an equally concerned look, but this wasn't anything new. Answering, the brunette pointed to the East.

"I guess the tennis courts, but no one really uses those unless they're an actual tennis player in rehab." Masaru raised an eyebrow. "Where are you going this, Sugawara?" Everyone watched the silver-haired setter with anxious and intense gazes. The gears in his head could be heard turning, cranking against one another.

Until, they clicked.

He sprinted. Sprinted like never before in his life. He could hear the others calling after him, his name being repeated over and over again. But he didn't care. Only one name registered in his mind, an unerasable mark on his brain.

 _Saika. Saika. Saika._

He knew they were confused, but what could be done? If he didn't get there soon, she could die. Overexerting herself again to prove some sort of gratuitous point. All he had was a vague hand point by Masaru, but he continued on towards an unknown destination. The wind pricked at his skin, chills nipping the tips of his ears. Dark green ferns whizzed by in his rush to her side. Grass soon turned to pavement as he turned a corner and saw the courts lying on the horizon. And there, on the one closest to him, was a singular black dot.

 _"Saika!"_ His scream echoed into the air, exploding all at once. He didn't know if she could hear him, but he didn't care. He screamed into the night, like a tree falling in a forest. A thud that spread for miles. Soon enough, he could see her distinct figure. A volleyball gripped in her hands. Her head was bent down, black hair swept to and fro. She was still wearing the hospital's gown. "Saika..."

Suga watched as her chest fell up and down, like a pendulum swinging left and right. The moon glistened behind her as she threw the ball up into the air and smacked it across the net. It shot out just as it always had, just like she'd practiced it to. But it didn't feel the same. It didn't mean anything anymore. That perfect serve meant nothing.

"Sai, your family's worried about you." Nothing. Nothing mattered anymore. She ran to the other side of the court and picked the ball up once more. "We heard what happened."

 _Throw it up as high as you can, it'll eventually fall towards you. You are it's destination._

"Are you okay?" She tossed the ball into the air, watching it like a hawk.

 _Ready your body like a catapult about to fling loose. One destination becomes another as you re-route it towards another path._

"Saika, talk to me." It descended, slow.

 _As it falls, stay calm. A cat never rushes towards its prey. It waits, watching, mindful in the darkness. Just like a serve taking advantage of it's unprepared foes._

"You shouldn't be doing this. You'll get hurt." She readied herself to jump.

 _The moment the ball hits your hand, push as much energy through it as you can. Almost exactly like a spike. Hit it hard enough, and it'll break past your opponent's defenses. Have enough precision, and you can aim it wherever you want._

"I...I don't know what to say. What do you want me to say?"

She rocketed the ball across the court, tears now clear as her head pointed forward. They streamed down in an endless torrent.

 _Serve just like I taught you, and you'll be a pro in no time. Just like your old man was!_

 _Everything about my father was so bright, kind of like Suga._

 _Will I ever be as good as you were?_

 _I gripped the volleyball so innocently back then, since when did it hurt so much to hold? My nails digging into the fabric, everything hurts._

 _Of course you will! You are my daughter, after all. But even if you aren't, I'll still love you anyways._

 _I won't love myself. What's the point of anything anymore? It hurts, just like before. Just like that day when I failed everyone. And now, I can't even make it up to them._

Thousands of thuds echoed onto concrete terrain. Her slipping away into a field of unconsciousness, a place where the pain didn't hurt so bad. His feet trudging against the ground, every step thundering in his ears. Calls and cries of her name even dropped to the ground, unheard in that cool November air. She wondered if any of it was real, if any of those sounds meant anything at all. It's just like that old-saying goes.

She can't remember it now.

 _I'm sorry._

* * *

 _Hello everyone! So sorry for the delay on this one, hopefully it was worth the wait :) Again, thanks to everyone who reads this; it means more than you can even imagine. If you're up for it, please review, comment, favorite or follow the story, and consider spreading it to other fans!_

 _Also, I'm going to be posting the real chapter titles onto the stories if they're too long while in the title boxes you'll see an abbreviated version of the title._

 _Checking out for now ~ Sinclair_


	4. 4 - Pride

4 - Pride Means Nothing in the Face of God

"Japan's economy had recently begun to boom, and with this financial success came an overwhelming increase in criminal activity. So, how were you supposed to protect your stuff from thieves? Simple: hire a samurai." The teacher turned to the board and scribbled down a few crude drawings before continuing. "But what's really interesting is how Christianity made its way to our shores. You see…"

"If this lecture doesn't end soon, I think I might commit seppuku..." Suga groaned, leaning back in his chair.

"You're telling me." Daichi pulled up his black uniform jacket before cringing and pushing it back. "Only 3 minutes since I last checked my watch..." Another soft groan echoed from the setter's seat. Suga folded his arms over the top of his desk and rested his head forward like a bird egg in a nest. "Doesn't look like someone's paying attention either..." Daichi muttered.

A glance over Daichi's left shoulder revealed exactly who he was talking about. Directly next to him was a total stranger, but one chair over sat a blank-faced Saika. It was a strange change in their usual seating arrangement. They'd sat the same way ever since the beginning of their second year: Daichi, followed by Saika in the middle, and Suga. Asahi was never smart enough to make it into the advanced classes, a fact they teased him about often. In his defense, Saika wasn't in the advanced classes her first year of high school. She had never put effort into anything besides volleyball, but her father had fixed this fast by saying she'd have to drop from the team unless they saw an improvement in her rather lackluster grades.

Sure enough, by the end of the year, she was top of her class.

Still, ever since Saika had returned from her month-long stay at the hospital, nothing was quite the same. She rarely spoke, hardly ate, and never clued into class. She even purposefully separated herself from them and chosen to sit by the window where she spent her time gazing lackadaisically at the sky. They never knew what she was thinking about, but could probably take a guess.

"Of course, America decided to do something about this. With their huge boats, _gunboats_ , they simply said, 'Open the country. Stop having it be closed." Suga sighed once more, turning his head to look at the inattentive noirette. Her face relayed complete calm, but behind that facade lay a storm beyond compare. He knew it, he _had_ known it ever since that night at the hospital. That was the last time he'd seen Saika show any emotion besides anger. Him, Daichi, Asahi, and the entirety of the girl's team had tried to help make her transition back to school as smooth as possible, but she'd have none of it. Whenever someone did something as small as offer to carry her bag, she'd snap back saying something ridiculous about how they thought of her as weak and incapable of handling anything on her own.

He hated it.

Hated how she was beating herself up over this, hated that volleyball was causing her all of this pain. He wished he could just take it away.

But how could you help her when her pride wouldn't let him share her pain?

"Ms. Takahashi."

The class went silent. Pencils stopped moving and everyone's heads turned towards the unresponsive girl. Suga lifted himself up from his desk.

"Ms. Takahashi? Are you listening?" No response. Saika's eyes narrowed and her hands clenched against the desk.

"Takahashi Saika!" Tiny white particles floated off the piece of chalk being rapped against the board. Saika's eyes shot wide as she rocketed herself up from her seat.

"Y-Yes?!" Some giggles spread through the class, lightly tinting Saika's cheeks.

"I asked what the quadratic formula is." A confused look replaced her one of shock.

"Um, it's negative b plus or minus the square root of b squared minus four a c all over two a."

"That is correct." Suga felt like his head might explode from embarrassment.

"But...Sensei, aren't we in Japanese History?" The giggles cranked up in volume as the reality of the situation finally set in. An amused smile fell across the teacher's face.

"That's right, just making sure you were paying attention." The light tint painting her cheeks deepened as she bowed her head and muttered an apology before taking her seat once more. "Now back to religion..." Despite the lax warning, Saika made no additional effort. Her head turned back towards the window as she let out a quiet sigh.

 _J_ _ust making sure you were paying attention..._

Her eyes tentatively closed as she felt herself be enveloped in those words.

 _"Saika? Are you paying attention?" Yuuka gently draped the bed sheets from the night prior over her right arm. "Saika?"_

 _"Mmm." A quiet hum was her only response. Undeterred, the young nurse carried on with her clean up._

 _"Like I was saying, the surgery couldn't have gone better! Your father said that you might be out of here in one week's time." She looked up once more, not quite sure what she was expecting. It was all the same. A hardened gaze and features resembling that of a statue. That same bubbly teen she once admired wasn't there anymore. Nothing was left but a hollow shell of what once was. Saika nodded, never moving her eyes from a crack in the floor. Yuuka continued to move across the room, filling the air with small talk and nonsense._

 _It was a battlefield. She danced across the floor as if avoiding minefields. Every word echoed like gunshots in the air. It had been like this since that night. Suga had called, desperately shouting for help. They rushed her to the emergency room, placed a defibrillator in her heart. Their conversations hadn't moved past simple 'yes' and 'no' answers since._

 _Yuuka knew it was her fault. Guilt stabbed into her sides every time she stepped foot in that room. Every time she saw that broken-down state, all she could remember was how she had lied. She often wondered if she could have done something differently. With every step sprung a new memory playing over in her mind. Would things be different if she had told her earlier? How would she have reacted if her father had told her instead?_

 _Would she hate Yuuka any less?_

 _Sighing, she folded the final piece of linen onto a nearby chair. "That's all the laundry for today. Now you can rest on clean sheets." Another empty attempt at conversation. "Listen, Saika..."_

 _She retreated to the end of the bed. Ikari Haru, that doctor Saika used to make fun of her for, once told her that patients often felt distanced from their doctors if they stood there. Made them feel less important or like the doctors didn't want to be near them._

 _"I know these past few weeks have been...difficult for you, and I hope you know how much I care for you. And how glad I am that you're feeling better!" Her hands began to fidget with the sides of her dress. "However, your father and I have decided to hand over my duties to someone else." The sides of the bed fidgeted slightly, signaling a shift in Saika's body. "It must be weird having your primary caretaker leave just a week or two before your discharge, but we think it's for the best." She didn't dare look up. She couldn't take another heartbreaking sight._

 _"I..." A singular syllable fell out of the girl's mouth. Yuuka waited, wondering if she would say anything more. Minutes passed before the nurse willed herself to look up. All she saw was Saika's hand outstretched. A brush lay in its palm._

 _"Saika-"_

 _"Will you..." She waved the brush around a couple of times to get her point across._

 _It was a strange feeling. Any other time you'd probably disregard this as a way to divert the conversation, or that having your hair brushed was a common task, but not for these two. Saika never let anyone touch her hair, ever. Not even her own mother. Yuuka was the first one to coax the girl out of her inhibitions. Neither of them really knew why, but it turned into a sort of silent ritual. They would sit in the silence, letting their actions speak for themselves. It had been a long time since they'd done it._

 _"...Of course." Yuuka carefully made her way to the right side of Saika's bed and tentatively took the brush from the girl's hands. She began to comb through the girl's hair, effortlessly. It had already been brushed probably only an hour prior. She didn't say anything._

 _This continued on for some time. Stroke after stroke they sat, not once speaking a word. It was a familiar way for them to say goodbye, even if talking may have been the better option._

 _Neither of them could see the tears pouring down the other's cheeks._

 _Neither of them said a word._

"Alright, that'll be it for today. Your homework is to write a two-page report about Japan and Britain's shared fear of Russia and the railroad they began to build through Korea." Saika glanced around, realizing that everyone had begun to collect their belongings and head out for lunch. "Oh, and Takahashi? Come see me before you leave." Their teacher stated calmly as they folded and stacked papers from that day's lecture. Fear gripped her stomach, but she merely nodded.

"Wanna head to the roof? Asahi's probably already there." Daichi asked, swinging his back over his shoulder. "Uhh...Suga? You good?" He was staring daggers at the teacher at the front.

"Don't you think we should wait and see what happens? She might need us." Sighing, Daichi placed his bag back on the ground and put a hand on his friend's shoulder.

"Listen, Suga, I know that you mean well, but I don't think Sai's really in a place for us to be prying into her business. She doesn't even like being called 'Sai' anymore cause it means 'talented'. If that's not the mental workings of someone who needs to be alone, I don't know what is-"

"But that's just it, Daichi." Suga interrupted, shifting his gaze to meet the boy's brown eyes. "Those are _exactly_ the reasonings of someone who needs help. She might say she doesn't need us, but I know that deep down she's screaming out for someone to save her. For someone to _be_ there for her." His eyes fell to the floor. "I can't stand by and watch this happen anymore."

Daichi sighed, rubbing the back of his neck as if it would relieve the stress he had built up. It had been like this ever since the hospital incident; the night everything changed he started calling it. Sure, Saika had been crazy depressed and constantly angry, but Suga? He was like a ticking time-bomb just waiting for the right moment to destroy _everything_. His over-protective nature drove Saika up the wall, and his sensitive attitude wasn't really helping. Every time they'd fight, he'd go off on some huge tangent and end up taking nearly all of their free time to complain about how "Saika's really going to hurt herself" or "Why can't she see I'm just trying to help her?". The only solace Asahi and Daichi could find was with one another, though it's not like they were without worry for their friend.

It was a never-ending cycle of anxiety and shouting, and as much as Daichi loved the ground-breaking tension and squabbling, he couldn't help but wonder if maybe Suga was right this time. Maybe it was time for them to start pushing back, start putting up a fight. And this obvious call-out by their teacher might be the beginning of it all. With one last sigh, Daichi relented and quickly pulled at Suga's uniform jacket.

"Daichi...? What're you-"

"C'mon, follow me." Wordlessly, Suga gathered up his belongings and stumbled after Daichi into the hallway. He followed him down the hall to the other entrance to the classroom, the one closest to the teacher's desk.

"Hey, are we-"

"Shh. Listen." Suga couldn't help a smile as he realized what was happening. Having Daichi's support meant more than he could know. The two quieted their breaths and leaned into the doorway.

Inside, Saika stood, head bowed in front of their teacher. They were examining incredibly marked up papers, marks that cut her to the core.

"Takahashi-chan, you know that you're a great student. You work hard and have undoubtedly earned your place in these advanced classes. However..." The teacher continued to shuffle through paper upon paper. "Ever since your return to school, your grades have been... _surprising_ , to say the least. Not only that, but I've heard from your other teachers that it's not just my class where your focus wanders. Glad to know it's not history that's boring you." Their light-hearted comment only wounded Saika further. She shrunk at the words.

"It doesn't! I'm sorry if that's how it came off." A gentle smile crept onto her teacher's face.

"I can only imagine how hard this has been for you, and we've done our best to accommodate your circumstances, but there is only so much we can do." Their smile slowly began to wash away. "You need to start giving at some point, Takahashi-chan. We both know you're capable of much, much more. Winter finals are coming up soon, and if we do not begin to see improvement before the end of the year, the school will have to consider revoking your placement into next year's advanced classes."

Daichi and Suga shot each other a look. Not necessarily one of surprise, more so of worry for their already-unstable friend. They both had an inkling this would happen soon enough, though they'd always wished it would just magically handle itself.

"Sensei, I-"

"I'm not saying it's for certain, just something you need to think about." The chair screeched against the floor, signaling the end of their conversation. "We are here if you need any help. You're a bright girl, Saika. With your drive, you could accomplish much. Don't let your future slip away because of this setback."

 _Volleyball is no longer your future._ Her teacher's words warped in her head, stinging her with every syllable. She could only nod as they offered one last smile and left the room.

She stood there, unsure of what to do. She was stuck. Stuck without volleyball, stuck without Yuuka. She had lost your bearings. The classroom felt like an endless sea with her stranded in the middle, alone.

The tears against her cheeks stung even more than the falsified words in her head. Weakness. They showed how weak she had become. Her quiet sobs echoed throughout the room as her hands ripped at her face, rubbing as if it'd make the pain go away. "Why...why is this happening?"

Suga and Daichi could only continue to listen. Despite being in similar situations, they felt worlds apart, separated by an open doorway. They felt just as lost and unsure as Saika, but didn't know how to reach her. Each soft sob left them speechless.

"Damn it...what are we going to do?" Suga whispered, balling up his fists. "It's just like at the playoffs...we're powerless." It frustrated Daichi how true those words were, and annoyed him even further that he had been the one to say them.

"We can't just leave it like this. There's gotta be something... _anything_!" Their brains wracked together in search of an answer. They were so deep in thought, in fact, that they hadn't noticed her walk out of the room.

"Suga? Daichi?" The two looked up to see her tear-stained face. She sniffled a few times and rubbed her eyes against her jacket, desperately trying to erase signs of what had just happened. "What are you doing out here?"

"Ah, Saika! We were just...uh..." Daichi straightened his back and let out a few nervous laughs. "Um..."

"We heard." Suga blurted out, eyes averted towards the ground. Daichi felt his heart drop into his stomach.

"You...what?"

"We wanted to make sure you were okay, so we stayed." He forced himself to look up at her. Were her eyes always that dull? "We heard everything."

Tears threatened to fall once again as his words settled into her system. _Just more proof of my weakness_. "Yeah, well, it'll be fine. Just have to study really hard for exams I guess."

"Saika, you don't have to lie." Her head snapped up. "You can say it's been hard. You can say this sucks. We won't judge you."

Ever so slowly, her eyes began to harden, leaving behind any vulnerability from before. "Who's to say I'm lying? How would you know what I've been through?" The sudden sharpness in her tone shocked Suga, but he continued on.

"Because we care about you, Saika. We know you. We just want to be there for you."

"Yeah? Well, I don't need your help. Frankly, I don't need you _eavesdropping_ on my personal conversations because you think you're some knight in shining armor." He tensed up as Daichi took a step back. "I'm not a damsel in distress who needs saving. I don't..." Her cold demeanor began to fade as the words got caught in her throat. "I don't need anyone."

"Sai-" Suga held out his hand towards the breaking girl, only to be swat away. Her eyes had betrayed her and she couldn't stop the tears starting to flow.

"Don't call me that. I'm not that person anymore." Without another word, Saika turned on her heels and bolted down the hallway. Suga began to chase after her, only to feel a tug on his wrist.

"I think we've done enough for today," Daichi muttered, pain clear in his expression. "Let's go talk to Asahi." He started towards their usual lunch spot not waiting to hear Suga's response.

"Daichi, wait!" Suga gazed back and forth between where his two friends had left. Saika's words rang in his ears, _"You think you're some knight...I'm not a damsel in distress..."_ Balling up his fists once more, Suga went after Daichi, willing himself not to look back.

The rest of the day passed by in a blur, and before any of them knew it the final bell had rung. Saika's feet carried her out of the school in a flash as if they had a mind of their own. She ignored any passerby, especially those of which she knew. She couldn't handle one more second in that school, a constant reminder of her failures.

By the time she had reached her home her ears were stinging from the cold, winter air. Even the once-familiar wooden structure felt foreign to her as she slid open the front door. Wordlessly, she took off her shoes and attempted to catch her breath from the crazed run home.

"Saika? Is that you?" A soft voice called out from deeper within the house. Usually, that voice would have sent a wave of calm over Saika, but all it did now was hurt her further. Feigning ignorance, she continued her way in and dropped her bag off to the side. None of her siblings were there, most likely participating in their extracurriculars. Her body fell onto the floor with a loud thud as she leaned up against the wall. The sizzling from the kitchen gradually quieted down and a slender woman stepped out with cooking utensils in hand. "Saika? Is everything alright, dear?"

She didn't bother nodding. All she did was continue to stare at the wall across from her. Her mother sighed and placed down whatever she was holding. "Did something happen at school?" No response. "Saika, you have to talk to me if you want me to help.

"...I don't need help." She muttered, balling her fists up against the ground. Despite a change in scenery, nothing had changed. It was the same wherever she went. Another sigh echoed from the woman's mouth.

"Sweetie, please, what happened? Did the teachers scold you? Are the girls on the team giving you a hard time?"

"No, it's nothing. Please leave me alone." It felt like every time she spoke she was hurting those around her. No matter what she said, it never ceased to cause more trouble. She knew better than to hide things from her mother, she was irritatingly compassionate. But what else could be done?

"Honey, you don't have to pretend. We all know how difficult this has been, and how unfair it all is. You're safe, just let it out." Ami attempted to coax the volatile girl into relenting. It irritated her how similar her mother and Suga's words were, but she had to admit it was tempting. She would never admit how much she just wanted to let it all out and finally confide in somebody.

But she couldn't her pride was too great, too powerful to allow her the blessing of such a comfort. All she could do was fight back. Unaware of her actions, Saika slapped away her mother's extending hand just as she had done to Suga and jumped to her feet.

"You don't know anything, you can't _begin_ to know _half_ the pain I'm going through!" Was this the first time she had ever shouted at her mother? "All you do is sit around and indulge in your musical fantasies..." It was. It definitely was. _Stop it, stop before it's too late. "Don't ever tell me you understand the pain that volleyball has caused me!"_

 _"Don't ever tell me you understand the pain that volleyball has caused me!"_

Her voice rang out in the small home, startling both her and Ami. It was louder than she anticipated it to be. Saika could feel the heat rising in her face, how hard it was becoming to breathe. "I..." She wasn't sure what she would say next, but the world stopped when she saw her mother's face.

Tears. Tears spilled down her usually composed face. The shock of it all sent Saika spiraling. It was the first time she'd seen her mother cry. _She_ caused this. "Mom...I...I'm sorry-" A sob fell out of her mother's mouth as she covered it with her delicate hands.

Without another word, Saika ran out of the room in a frenzy. She slammed the door to her room and jumped onto her bed, unsure of what to do. Her mother's quiet cries echoed through the walls. She gripped her pillow as tight as she could. Maybe if she gripped it hard enough, all of this would go away. The pain she'd caused, the pain she'd been going through, it could all just...

Disappear.

"Why, God, why..." Her whispers came out like a desperate plea as she buried her quickly dampening face into her pillow. "Please...take it away..." Each word fell out in as carelessly as before; her mother's weeping face engraved itself into her psyche. What had she done?

Their cries rang out into frigid, winter air, and neither of them knew if the angels were listening.

* * *

Hey there folks!

Thank you so much for your patience, I hope this chapter was worth the wait! My surgery thankfully went well and I'm currently in my third week of recovery. I'll be sure to continue working this summer. You'll be pleased to see the entrance of a _certain_ girl's volleyball team in the next chapter! I'll be releasing bios soon ;)

Checking out for now - Sinclair


	5. Karasuno High Girl's Volleyball Club

Woah there! Two updates so close together?! Trust me, if that were true I'd be living the _dream._ Alas, this is simply the bios of the Karasuno Girl's Team (or at least how I'll be writing them). I'm obviously taking a lot of creative liberty with names and stats and such, and I apologize if some of the girls already have canon names besides Yui, I don't read the manga so I wouldn't know.

Anywho!

I hope you come to love these girls as much as I have during the course of this story :) Also, these bios are written as if we're at the start of the anime, so just know that currently in the story (i.e chapter five), we're still in Saika's second year (or a year before the anime begins). I tried to keep Saika's brief since we get to know her the most throughout the story.

For some reason, I can't post the pictures of the team as images or as links, so if you wanna see who's who, it'll be in my profile for your viewing pleasure.

* * *

Karasuno High's Girls Volleyball Team

 _Concerning the twins..._

 _A teacher of theirs messed up their last names a long time ago, but they decided to roll with it because they didn't want people getting them confused (especially since first names are only for close friends). No one actually knows which one is correct and they refuse to tell anyone in fear of the truth spreading out._

 **Yui Michimiya** \- The cheerful best friend of Saika. Yui is almost never seen without a smile plastered across her face. With an infectious level of energy and a talent in motivating those around her, it's no wonder to the rest of the third-years she was chosen as this year's captain. However, her natural talent for leadership often causes her to hide her true feelings, making it difficult for people to truly get to know her. Nevertheless, she's always there for her team and determined to prove their strength despite their "assassin's" absence.

Captain

2nd Year, Class 1, #8

3rd Year, Class 1, #1

Position: Wing Spiker (Ace)

Height: 159.3 cm (5' 2.7")

Weight: 51.0 kg (112.4 lbs)

Birthday: August 1st

Favorite Food: Natto with Rice

Current Concern: She's been told her thighs are "sturdy".

Ability Parameters

Power: 4/5

Jumping: 3/5

Stamina: 4/5

Game Sense: 2/5

Technique: 2/5

Speed: 4/5

 **Izumi Abe** \- Calm, cool, and collected, Izumi was a no-brainer for the position of vice captain as to counteract Yui's never-ending energy supply. Between her and Saika, she has her hands full in keeping the two out of trouble, especially pertaining to their obliviousness in the affairs of romance. Her and Ena share a special bond with being the only sane people in their motley group of four, but in the end, she loves them more than anything and is always there to help in whatever way she can.

Vice Captain

2nd Year, Class 1, #10

3rd Year, Class 2, #2 (Same class as Kiyoko)

Position: Middle Blocker

Height: 149.3 cm (5' 1.7")

Weight: 49.9 kg (110 lbs)

Birthday: August 2nd

Favorite Food: Agedashidofu

Current Concern: If Yui and Saika don't get together with Daichi and Suga before the end of the year respectively, she's sworn to hang them both from the rafters of the gym.

Ability Parameters

Power: 2/5

Jumping: 4/5

Stamina: 3/5

Game Sense: 4/5

Technique: 4/5

Speed: 3/5

 **Hiriko Ueda** \- The younger of the volleyball twins by a singular minute, Hiriko doesn't intend to let that fact affect anyone's perception of her. She's a fiery ball of passion who will stop at nothing to assure victory for both herself and her teammates. Her never-ending rivalry with her sister can often stifle practices with heated arguments and sudden tests of skill between the two, which in turn warrants some Daichi-style berating from their captain. Nonetheless, their rivalry has only shaped Hiriko into the player she is today, and she intends on making every serve count.

Captain after Yui retires

1st Year, Class 1, #3

2nd Year, Class 1, #3 (Same class as Tanaka)

Position: Wing Spiker (Pinch Server)

Height: 158.5 cm (5' 2")

Weight: 50.3 kg (111 lbs)

Birthday: February 13th

Favorite Food: Sukiyaki

Current Concern: People will mistake her as the vice-captain because of her twin sister.

Ability Parameters

Power: 5/5

Jumping: 5/5

Stamina: 2/5

Game Sense: 1/5

Technique: 2/5

Speed: 3/5

 **Kaede Ueno** – The elder twin, Kaede is almost the exact opposite of her hot-headed sister. Among a team of spazzy individuals, Kaede offers an almost euphoric sense of calm in an otherwise out-of-control environment. The only time people see a break in her composure is when she's arguing with her sister, and even then her version of fighting back is masterfully-crafted insults and snide remarks that make Hiriko's blood boil. This skill similarly comes in handy during tournaments when she knowingly scares the other teams straight with cold stares and nasty comments. Rumors have recently begun to spread that she and Tsukishima meet at night to discuss their cruel tactics.

Vice Captain after Izumi retires

1st Year, Class 3, #4

2nd Year, Class 4, #4 (Same class as Ennoshita)

Position: Middle Blocker (Defensive Specialist)

Height: 159.5 cm (5' 2.3")

Weight: 50.1 kg (110.5 lbs)

Birthday: February 13th

Favorite Food: Tempura

Current Concern: Guys mistakenly ask for her number when they mean to ask for her sister's.

Ability Parameters

Power: 2/5

Jumping: 4/5

Stamina: 3/5

Game Sense: 5/5

Technique: 5/5

Speed: 2/5

 **Chihiro Fukui** – Being the only first-year on the team certainly isn't easy, but Chihiro seems to handle it well. After graduating from Yukigaoka Junior High, this spunky brunette always knew she wanted to be on the volleyball team. While relatively new to the game, her senpais think she shows great promise and openly support her aspiration of becoming the next ace of the team. Sometimes her excitement can get the best of her during games, and she's been seen on more than one occasion tripping over nothing in the hallway. Thankfully, she's recently met a certain orange-haired boy in her class who matches her level of enthusiasm.

Aspiring Ace

1st Year, Class 1, #5 (Same class as Hinata)

Position: Wing Spiker

Height: 167.6 cm (5' 5")

Weight: 49.8 kg (109.8 lbs)

Birthday: July 7th

Favorite Food: Soba

Current Concern: Her mother often asks if she'll ever abandon her "boyish haircut".

Ability Parameters

Power: 3/5

Jumping: 3/5

Stamina: 4/5

Game Sense: 2/5

Technique: 1/5

Speed: 4/5

 **Ayaka Minami...!** \- Wearing the title of libero is no easy feat, but Ayaka wears it with pride and gusto. She's incredibly assured in her abilities, and always tells her teammates to spike to their heart's content because she'll "always be there to pick it back up". However, deep down (deep, deep down), Ayaka worries about living up to her predecessor's ability. Not only this, but she and Nishinoya have a deep-seated rivalry on who will become the best high school libero for their respective genders. But if anyone thinks for a second that any of these facts bring her down, they're dead wrong!

1st Year, Class 2, #7...!

2nd Year, Class 3, #7...! (Same class as Nishinoya)

Position: Libero...!

Height: 155.4 cm (5' 1")...!

Weight: 45.4 kg (100 lbs)...!

Birthday: June 24th...!

Favorite Food: Takoyaki...!

Current Concern: None...! _She's worried that her enthusiasm and skills nowhere near matches her rival, Nishinoya._

Ability Parameters

Power: 1/5

Jumping: 1/5

Stamina: 5/5

Game Sense: 4/5

Technique: 4/5

Speed: 4/5

 **Ena Tsukuda** – A quiet-spoken girl, Ena is truly what you would call a "delicate flower". The rest of the third-year gang often have to protect her from pervish guys or too many people trying to get her attention. They've even gone as far as to link arms when a crowd got too rowdy. She looks up to her fellow girlfriends, hoping to one day be as confident and outspoken as them. Thankfully, she has Asahi to confide in, often sharing their fears and worries with one another during breaks in class. Ena secretly wonders if the strength of their team will be compromised now that Saika is gone, especially since she's the team's starting setter in place of her graduated senpai.

2nd Year, Class 1, #11

3rd Year, Class 3, #11 (Same class as Asahi)

Position: Setter

Height: 161.4 cm (5' 3")

Weight: 48.8 kg (108 lbs)

Birthday: December 1st

Favorite Food: Really Spicy Curry

Current Concern: She wonders if the coffee in the vending machine can be considered real coffee.

Ability Parameters

Power: 2/5

Jumping: 3/5

Stamina: 3/5

Game Sense: 5/5

Technique: 4/5

Speed: 3/5

 **Naomi Kawaguchi** – The retired captain of Karasuno's girl's team, Naomi was truly a force to be reckoned with. She held the highest expectations for her fellow teammates and never sugar-coated when she'd been let down. However, there was no one she was harder on than herself. Younger girls often gossiped about how they would see their captain staying late into the night, trying to better herself for the sake of the team. This drive for self-excellence similarly pushed the others and shaped Karasuno into a truly formidable team.

3rd Year, Class 3, #1

Alumni Captain

Position: Middle Blocker

Height: 1676.8 cm (5' 8")

Weight: 54.4 kg (120 lbs)

Birthday: March 4th

Favorite Food: Tonkatsu

Current Concern: Her resting and thinking face have been described as "scary" and "murderous".

Ability Parameters

Power: 2/5

Jumping: 4/5

Stamina: 3/5

Game Sense: 3/5

Technique: 3/5

Speed: 3/5

 **Kumi Sasaski** – Naomi's old vice captain, Kumi definitely fit in with the whole "cool-setter vibe". Her strengths rested in her quick-thinking and ability to size up whatever their opponents were planning in a single glance. Teams often attributed Saika's success to her senpai's natural skill. Much like Naomi, Kumi was never one to sugar-coat what she was trying to say, but mostly this just came from her sheer bluntness. You could imagine her as a more invested Kenma with a weird interest in knitting. When she's not playing volleyball, she's almost always knitting.

3rd Year, Class 5, #2

Alumni Vice Captain

Position: Setter

Height: 167.6 cm (5' 5")

Weight: 52.6 kg (116 lbs)

Birthday: January 26th

Favorite Food: Yudofu

Current Concern: Because she's so relaxed, people think she doesn't care about anything, even when she's excited.

Ability Parameters

Power: 1/5

Jumping: 2/5

Stamina: 3/5

Game Sense: 4/5

Technique: 5/5

Speed: 4/5

 **Saika Takahashi** – The star of our story, Saika's life was and is solely revolved around volleyball. Being the daughter of a retired volleyball player, Saika worked every day of her life to make up for her frustrating lack of natural talent. This hard work paid off in the end as she began to be dubbed "the Assassin of Karasuno High" for her arsenal of skills and was known "to be able to complete any job at any time for any set price". With a recent diagnosis of hypertrophic cardiomyathapy, this fallen ace finds herself in a position she never thought possible: a life forever barred from the court. Her hot-headed attitude and sharp tongue often get her into trouble, but she never stops standing up for what she believes.

2nd Year, Class 4, #6

3rd Year, Class 4, Retired (Same class as Daichi and Sugawara)

Position: Wing Spiker (Ace)

Height: 173.7 cm (5' 7")

Weight: 52.2 kg (115.1 lbs)

Birthday: February 29th (Leap Year Birthday!)

Favorite Food: Chosun Ramen

Current Concern: Her inability to play volleyball due to her illness and not being able to bring the boy's team to Nationals.

Ability Parameters

Power: 5/5

Jumping: 4/5

Stamina: 4/5

Game Sense: 5/5

Technique: 4/5

Speed: 4/5

 **Miyako Himura!** – Between Miyako, Nishinoya, and Ayaka, you'd have to wonder if being super over-the-top and energetic was a requirement to be a libero. Nevertheless, Miyako's abilities more than matched her love for the game. She was often seen bothering Kumi into noticing her, much like Bokuto's need for attention from Akaashi. Whenever she'd perform a daring rolling receive, or pull off something crazy on the court, her first reaction would be to ask her if she'd seen it. Some of her kouhais believed she had a crush on the girl, but none of them dared to say anything in fear of the girl going off on a tangent. Not in a homophobic way, of course, quite the opposite in fact. A first year once mentioned that they thought Naomi and Kumi were sorta like a couple and Miyako supposedly went off on a four-hour rant about why they wouldn't work together and how she and Kumi would be a much better fit.

3rd Year, Class 2, #9!

Alumni!

Position: Libero!

Height: 158.5 cm (5' 2")!

Weight: 44.9 kg (99 lbs)!

Birthday: July 8th!

Favorite Food: Shabu Shabu!

Current Concern: She really... _really_ likes yaoi. Like, a lot. But if any of her friends found out...

Ability Parameters

Power: 1/5

Jumping: 1/5

Stamina: 5/5

Game Sense: 4/5

Technique: 3/5

Speed: 4/5


End file.
